Still Here
by Thunderscourge
Summary: TDKR spoilers: Gotham City was still standing and it's people still staying there despite their reoccurring tragedies. Very few of the city's major players remained though. Batman gone, Joker gone, Ra's and Talia al Ghul dead, and Bane dead, but two still remained. Jonathan Crane and Commissioner Gordon talk things over in the aftermath of Bane's rule, two of Gotham's few survivors


_A/N: So, for those of you who haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises, I apologize, but **spoilers**! Read this after you see the movie if you don't want them!_

_This story contains one slight nod to my over seventy chapter long story, A Misled Lamb, which is about the Scarecrow from Arkham Asylum the game and his doctor Penelope Young. If you would like, that story is still ongoing and I would love for all of you to check it out and enjoy it._

_Please leave me with your feedback, thoughts and comments. I really do appreciate it, as it helps my writing and helps me improve._

* * *

Gotham City was still standing. It hadn't perished along with the revolutionaries who sought to bring it down to the ground around them. It wasn't it's pristine self from before said revolutionaries came to destroy it. It was there. It endured, as always. Three gigantic schemes to bring it down, four if the economics approach was included, and it still stood, likely to rebuilt over the course over the next year.

The city was like it's people, or rather they were like it. They too still stayed and endured after everything they went through. The depression and the destruction of the Narrows by the League of Shadows, the decades of mob rule, Joker's killing of important figures, and now Bane and Talia al Ghul's reckoning that destroyed countless buildings and killed many citizens. Sure, they had been forced to stay during Bane's own stay in Gotham, but that didn't mean that they had to stay after the dust settled, like usual.

But they did. And although Batman's days there were done, not every major player in Gotham's underworld was. Sal Maroni had taken up business elsewhere, the Chechen and Gambol were dead, the Joker was gone, Ra's al Ghul and his men were dead, Bane was dead and now Talia and her Miranda Tate mask were dead too. Still standing was Commissioner Gordon, although he was busy with the clean up and the catching of Gotham's criminals that Bane set loose. Not preoccupied and not aware of what was going on was the other important player of Gotham, who had been there firsthand at many of it's struggles and even caused some of them. During the very recent events Gordon was busy tracking and stopping Talia's plan, but so was the other player of Gotham's fate.

Jonathan Crane, the sinister Scarecrow and associate of the late Ra's al Ghul, sat atop his mound of books and other things in his kangaroo courtroom. He had been waiting to die. He knew of how the nuclear weapon was going to go off soon, and he knew that Bane intended for all of them to die by it. The terrorist had not even intended to escape himself, his affair with Talia meaning his devotion to her was stronger than his devotion to life itself. But Crane did not have a way out when the city was about to be wiped off the face of the earth. He hadn't wanted to die, no, but he knew there was little he could do to stop the nuclear strike. Bane had men watching after him at all times, knowing of how Jonathan Crane could bring fear and gain power. Bane wanted to use him, not fight him. But that day there were no guards. They were busy fighting the now freed cops, freeing Crane up from his 'allies'.

What did he do with his freedom? A few terrorists who were bullying kids outside the court room would not be recovering from the gas thrown in their faces. Cops outside the building barely noticed the man with the burlap mask gassing Bane's men. The Scarecrow didn't want to die, not yet. He may be starved, on the run from the very people he was now helping and have almost no chance of surviving either against the nuclear weapon or against those he had to fight to help the police help the Batman stop Talia's plan. The weak and starved Scarecrow was not able to fight for long before he collapsed down on the ground. The man had been fed only what would keep him alive by Bane, no more. Crane had confiscated food now and again from the bad people who he sentenced in his courtroom, but he had not taken that for himself. Food from the rich and strong ended up with the weak and poor.

Running out on the street and yelling loud enough to wake the dead was a young kid waving a cell phone in the air, "Batman did it! Batman saved us all!" After a moment, the kid realized something about what he had just witnessed, "He…died in the explosion."

Jonathan Crane groaned as his stomach growled loudly. He didn't particularly like waking up, but he was pretty sure that he wouldn't have ever woken up if this kid hadn't yelled loud enough to force it from him. Crane rubbed his sore head as he got up, his hand going over the burlap mask he had held onto for so many years. Removing it, Jonathan stuffed it inside his robe so as to not appear conspicuous. Being the only living or conscious person other than the child on the street, he spoke to his accidental savior, "The Bat missed his court date," thinking about the vigilante's disappearance and recent comeback, Crane laughed about his own court practices, "I suppose he chose exile before choosing death though. Good enough."

The kid turned to see the 'judge', slightly scared by the man's gaunt face but still approaching the man who did not appear to be evil like Bane's men, "I caught it on camera too. Want to see it, sir?"

Jonathan took the phone from the kid's outstretched hand and watched the video displaying on it. It showed the Batman's new vehicle flying off into the water and exploding away from any human contact, saving the city from certain death. Frowning, the Scarecrow shook his head, "That's not him."

"What do you mean?" The kid asked with a confused look on his face.

Jonathan smiled and gave a brief laugh, handing the kid his phone back and patting him on the head, "Anyone who can buy something like that thing is rich enough to have an autopilot system. He's probably off mending the wounds Bane gave him."

The kid saw a burlap object in the man's pocket and something about it began to feel familiar to him. Ignoring it for a moment, the kid asked, "But the video showed-?"

Crane cast a serious look through at the boy, stopping the kid's question, "Leave it be," reaching into his robes he removed the mask he wore for a decade now and smiled almost happily, "My oldest foe still lives," the smile faded as a thought came to him, "but I don't think he'll be coming back here. I would like to see what his death means for this city. Dent's death made this city as close to a normal city as it's ever been, so what will happen now?"

The kid realized who it was he was speaking to now and tensed up, unsure as to what the fear inducing Scarecrow was going to do, "S-so, what will we do now?"

Crane shrugged and stuffed the mask back in his robe, "I don't know. I've done a lot of things. Psychiatrist, super villain, drug dealer, and now I was a judge who sentenced those who would misuse their power to harm the people of Gotham. I guess I'll look for another hat to wear," reaching into another part of his robe, Crane withdrew an apple he took off a criminal earlier, "Here kid," he tossed it to the child, "Have fun. I have some detective work to do."

* * *

Commissioner Gordon flicked off the new and professional looking Bat signal and turned to face the person who had turned it on.

The Commissioner was a little confused as to why he was receiving a visit from this particular person, "Crane?"

The former psychiatrist of Arkham frowned beneath his mask at who had come to turn the signal off, a small part of him wishing to have encountered the Dark Knight, "You're not him. I guessed right."

Gordon stayed a good dozen feet away from Crane, far away enough to not be it by Crane's wrist mounted fear gas if the man turned out to be hostile, "What's this about?"

The Scarecrow shrugged, "Just saying hello, really. The Bat Man is gone, am I right?"

Gordon nodded and furrowed his brow, "Yes, yes he is. For now at least."

The Scarecrow turned his gaze away from Gordon and looked at the Bat signal, "The Batman was more than a killable man. A wise man I once knew often spoke of creating something more, of creating a symbol. I think that the man I would fight and you would pick me up from about every month or two may have left this city and may have even died, but who is to say someone won't take up his mantle?"

Gordon opened his mouth to speak, but words were hard for him to find. He was unsure what the condition of the Dark Knight of Gotham city was, but if he knew the vigilante enough he knew he would be seeing him again in some form. The Dark Knight had left an impact on Gotham that would never leave, "You…have a point. Now, why come here to talk about that? You turning yourself in finally?"

Crane decided to cut to the chase, since he was talking to the police commissioner and not some person he could truly reminisce with. He actually didn't have someone to reminisce with he realized. That made Jonathan frown. Maybe he should see if that doctor who treated him in his short stay at Arkham, that Young girl? She had been nice. Would she be alive? Crane shook his head and spoke bluntly, "I executed about three hundred of Bane's men and supporters for abusing the people of Gotham. I may have not exactly been on your side, but I don't think either of us like bullies. Imagine how that brawl at the end would have gone if I hadn't done that beforehand, or had I not helped you all during it?"

The commissioner nodded warily, "I heard from a man that someone was using some kind of gas to help them, yes. So, what is it you want?"

The Scarecrow removed his mask and held it out to Gordon, "Pardon me, and I'll just go and live a normal life. No more gassing the criminals of Gotham, no more drug dealing."

"You sentenced my men and I to death…by exile," Gordon said with his eyebrows furrowed.

Jonathan looked down for a moment as he calculated his next move, "Yes, that. You lied to the people and misled them like lambs. I was only acting upon the will of our people," looking up with a smile, Crane spoke cheerily, "No hard feelings?"

Gordon nodded as he reached back to his belt and retrieved his gun, "Well, no hard feelings, but I should still bring you in."

Jonathan continued to hold the mask out, stating rather than asking, "How about I give you this as a sign of goodwill."

Gordon rose his eyebrows now, "You're really serious about this?"

Crane nodded and tossed the mask to Gordon, "Yup. Pretty serious. I'm done, promise."

Commissioner Gordon caught the mask and looked it over before looking back up at Crane and pointing a finger at him, "You do a single crime, do anything suspicious-"

Crane took a step forward and held his hand out, "And you can arrest me for everything I've ever done. Do we have a deal?"

Gordon looked around, hoping no-one was watching this, and then approached the former doctor and took his hand, "Fine, 'Scarecrow'. If it means I don't have to chase you down anymore I'll agree to that."

Jonathan smiled and shook hands with his former adversary, "Good seeing you again Commissioner."

As Crane moved to leave, Gordon called out to him, "One question, how did you keep getting out after the Bat caught you? I never found the person who was letting you out."

Jonathan turned a head back and shrugged his shoulders, "Maroni's men, Ramirez and that guy with the last name starting with W. They were two of your trusted people, and so I guess you never thought to check them often, did you?"

The Commissioner titled his head in confusion, "Maroni? Why would Maroni help you?"

Crane smiled as innocently as he could manage, "I drove Falcone insane, which promptly let him take power in the strongest mob of Gotham. He decided that I deserved a few get out jail free cards."

Gordon nodded to Crane, then to the ledge the gawky man was about to leave from, "I see. I suggest you leave before someone less weary comes up here looking for me."

* * *

The person in charge of one of Gotham's orphanages for young children opened the door of said orphanage due to the constant knocking he heard. Looking outside it, he did not see John Blake's face as he expected but rather a gaunt and skinny man wearing a judge's robes. The orphanage owner looked at the man before him with some confusion, "Who are you?"

Crane shrugged his shoulders and responded, "Just a fellow refugee looking for something he can do to help. These boys here need food?"

The owner looked the man over and laughed, "Yes, yes they do. You look like you could use some yourself."

Jonathan shrugged again and smiled, "That's true, but I decided to give my food to the people of Gotham during Bane's rule. I even believe I sent some here before. I've never needed much food, why not give it to someone else?"

The owner rose his eyebrows, but remembered the anonymous donor he often encountered during the past five months, "I don't believe I've seen you before. Where did you leave the food?"

"I would leave it where you slept. Safer than leaving it on the front door step, no? True charity is anonymous charity," Crane said seriously.

"You don't look like the most generous man. Why help us out?"

"I know what it's like to suffer as a child and need someone to help you, only to be often overlooked and passed over by society," Jonathan sighed and looked at the floor, remembering his dark past. Looking up, Jonathan had a light bulb grow in his mind, "Say, do you need a volunteer?"

* * *

_A/N: I hope you all enjoyed! One thing I loved about the movie was that it left Crane's fate ambiguous. The Scarecrow may still be on the loose, ready to confront the next Batman! I personally like the idea I bring forth here though, that he decided he was done with his whole crime-doing. I mean he's been a criminal for awhile by the end of the series, and you can see how tired and weary he is._

_If you would like more about Crane, check out my story "A Misled Lamb"! It concerns a different Crane from the one here, but it is the amazing one from Arkham Asylum game. Hope you'll take a look at it and enjoy it if you do!_

_Please leave me with your feedback, thoughts and comments. I really do appreciate it, as it helps my writing and helps me improve._


End file.
